Independent Investment Research for Southeast Asia
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Research & analysis on ASEAN investment

Commentary, briefings, and data on investment, regulation, and industry across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Browse the full archive →

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FeaturedThe Weekly ReadCommentary
"Pay Toll Ahead" on a Bangkok expressway. Under the global minimum tax, the notice now applies to the region's investors: the free ride on tax is ending.

The Tax Holiday Is Over. Southeast Asia Isn't.

The corporate tax holiday that built Southeast Asian industrialisation is being retired under the global minimum tax — but the real investment case never rested on it.

Lim Kheng Swe·21 Jun 2026·3 min read
ThailandSingaporeASEAN-wide
What's NewView all →
The Weekly ReadCommentary
High-voltage transmission lines. The grid ASEAN planned region-wide is starting as bilateral links around Singapore.

The Power Grid ASEAN Promised Is Starting Across a Few Kilometres of Water — and Nobody Planned It That Way

The first real stretch of the ASEAN power grid is emerging not from regional planning but from two uncoordinated bilateral tracks converging on Singapore's demand.

Lim Kheng Swe·10 Jul 2026
IndonesiaSingaporeASEAN-wide
The Weekly ReadCommentary
The EU Is Quietly Signing Up Southeast Asia

The EU Is Quietly Signing Up Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian factories become the gateway to the EU — for those who make, not just assemble.

Lim Kheng Swe·3 Jul 2026
IndonesiaASEAN-wideEU
The Weekly ReadCommentary
Thailand's New Investment Incentive Isn't a Tax Break. It's Speed.

Thailand's New Investment Incentive Isn't a Tax Break. It's Speed.

Thailand's FastPass doesn't cut tax — it cuts approval time 20–50% across eight agencies. The edge is speed, and it accrues to strategic-lane projects.

Lim Kheng Swe·25 Jun 2026
ThailandManufacturingAutomotive / EV
Data PointsBriefing

One Metal, One Government, Two Opposite Decisions: Indonesia's Nickel Quota U-Turn

Indonesia raised its 2026 nickel ore quota months after cutting it. The signal is not the level — it is how readily the policy floor moves.

Lim Kheng Swe·24 Jun 2026
IndonesiaMining & resourcesCapital flows
Data PointsBriefing

China's Critical-Mineral Controls Have Become a System

China's critical-mineral export controls have widened since April 2025 — now consolidated under one security law and reaching China-origin goods abroad.

Lim Kheng Swe·23 Jun 2026
ASEAN-wideChinaMining & resources
Data PointsBriefing

The Ringgit Fell 4.5% in June — and Stayed Among Asia's Best

The ringgit hit a seven-month low near 4.10/US$ as the dollar firmed, yet is down only ~2% YTD — dollar-driven volatility, not deterioration.

Lim Kheng Swe·18 Jun 2026
MalaysiaCapital flows
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The Weekly ReadView all →
The Power Grid ASEAN Promised Is Starting Across a Few Kilometres of Water — and Nobody Planned It That Way
The Weekly Read·10 Jul 2026
The EU Is Quietly Signing Up Southeast Asia
The Weekly Read·3 Jul 2026
Thailand's New Investment Incentive Isn't a Tax Break. It's Speed.
The Weekly Read·25 Jun 2026
The Tax Holiday Is Over. Southeast Asia Isn't.
The Weekly Read·21 Jun 2026
Not Every Chinese Company Belongs in the Singapore-Malaysia Tech Corridor. Here's Who Does.
The Weekly Read·11 Jun 2026
Decree 837: The Framework Is Written. Here's Where You Want to Be
The Weekly Read·4 Jun 2026